Type-writing machine.



No. 819,773. PATENTED MAY 8, 1906. E. G. LATTA.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.17,1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 819,773. PATENTED MAY 8, 1906 E. G. LATTA.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.17. 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2 PATENTED MAY 8, 1906" E. G. LATTA.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 17. 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3 the claims.

u ran STATES EMMIT G. LATTA, OF FRIENDSHIP, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF PATENT OFFICE.

TO HARVEY A. MOYER, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 8, 1906.

Application filed January 17, 1905. Serial No. 241,456.

make the impresslons at the front side of the platen, where they can be readily seen by the operator.

The principal objects of the invention are to produce an action in which the finger-keys all have a uniform dip, equal leverage, and are free from slidin friction, thus insuring a uniform li ht touc to make the moving .parts of the east weight consistent with strength and durability; to construct the action so as 'to revent the type-bars from rebounding and making it impossible to simultaneously operate finger-keys in different banks on the ke board, thereby minimizing the danger of co lisions between the type-bars and rendering the action capable of the highest s eed of operation, and to improve the typear actlons oft e-writing machines in the particulars herelnafter pointed out and set forth in These objects are accomplished in part by mounting the finger-keys without guldes on parallel swingin links or levers and connecting them to their t e-bars such manner as to render the starting move ment of the keys and type-bars slow and easy. and cause the type-bars tomove to the printing oint with a constantlyaccelerating spee by so arranging the parts that the pivots joining each t e-bar, its key-lever-and their connectin ro and the fulcrum for the key-lever are al in line when the t e-bar is in its normal rest osition, thus 100 'ng the type-bar against re ounding, and by operating the universal barb independent actuating parts, one for each ank of keys, either of which actuating part canbe moved alone, but

which interlock so as to (prevent two adjacent parts from being move together.

The type-bar action herein described and shown in the drawings is similar in some respects to that disclosed in United States Leti. ters Patent'No. 758,982, granted to me May 3, 1904, and may be considered as an improvement on said patented construction.

In the accompanying drawings, consisting of three sheets, Figurel is a fragmentary lan view of a type-wrlting machine embodylng the invention, showing aortion of the frame, a portion of the fingerseys and their brackets, a portion of the key-levers and connecting-rod, the universal bar, and portions of the actuating-shafts for the latter. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation thereof in line 2 2, Fig. 1, also showing arts of the carriage, t e-bar segment an type-bars, and spaceey and mechanism. Fi 3 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of t e key board in line 3 3, Fig. 1, showing the ke s and associated parts at one side of the key oard. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional elevation showing the locking mechanism for the uni versal-bar-actuating shafts. Fig. 5 is a frag mentary view, part y in plan and partly 1n horizontal section, showing the universal-bar mechanism and a portion of the key-levers at one side of the keyboard. Fig. 6 is a fra bar moved rearwar ly. Fig. 7 is an enlarged erspzective view of one of the fingerkeys, its hrac et, and associated parts. Fig. 8 is a lan view of a blank from which the keyrackets are made. Fig. 9 is a detail section ofone of the pivot-joints for the connectingrods. of the finger-levers, connecting-rods, and a portion of one of the type-bars at the side of the segment. Fig. 11 is .a detail sectional Fig. 10 is a sectional plan view of one elevation showing a different arrangement of the key-retracting s ring.

Like letters of re erence refer to like parts in the several figures. p

A represents the frame of the machine, which may be of any suitable shape and construction and has a stepped andslotted front portion a, forming a basefor the keyboard B,

l the platen, whichfas usual,.is journaled on a carriage which is moved transversely of the machine on-a suitable guide and supporting track or bearings 12; C, one of the'type-bars which are pivoted on a segmentD, arranged below, the platen and swlng upwardly and rearwardly to make the impression at the front side of the platen, and E, the fingerstraight rows running both longitudinally and transversely of the keyboard, and each key and its lever are mounted on a separate the keys and key-levers.

. cated either below or above the links bracket H, which brackets are alike and are separately secured to the stepped portion a of the frame and are independently adjustable thereon and separable therefrom. The brackets have portions which depend through the slots of the stepped base a to support Each key has a vertical stem 6, which passes through a hole h in its bracket and is connected to the depending legs of its bracket by the front arm of its key-lever F, and a lever or link f, which are pivoted to thekey-stem and legs of the bracket and form parallel swinging links. The hole his large enough to allow of the up and down movements of the keystem without contact with the walls thereof, so that the key has no sliding contact with any guide or part, and its movement is therefore very free and easy. The key-levers ma be Each - keystem is preferably hollow, having an upper portion which is tubular, an intermediate portion e of Usection or open at the rearside to receive the ends of the key-lever and link f, and a flattened or compressed lower end e, which engages and operates the actuating-shaft for the universal bar.

The key 'brackets are preferably made from sheet-metal blanks of'the shape shown in Fi .8, which are bent into the form shown in Flg. 7 Each bracket has two depending legs h, forming the support for the keylever and link, and a horizontal or flat top h The tops of the several brackets in each longitudinal row overlap, and thus cover the slots (1 in the stepped base, and each top has a depending front flange h, which bears on the top of the bracket next below it in the row, as shown in Fig. 6, thus eflfecting a better closure for the slots. The brackets are adjustably secured to the stepped base by ordinary screws h, passing through elongated slots k in the tops of the brackets. One of the le s of each bracket is provided with an integra projection I, which is bent transversely to lie in the path of the key lever or link f and form a back-stop to limit the return movement of thelevers and keys. The levers and keys are retracted and 1 ,the levers or links held against the stops Iby simple helical springs is, connected to the levers or links and to lugs h", provided for the purpose at the rear portion of the tops of the brackets. Preferably the key-levers are arran ed below the links at the central portion of tTie keyboard (see Fig. 2) and above the links at the sides of the keyboard, (see Fig. 3,) and intermediate of these locations the made the same length and their manufacture is simplified. The efiect is similar to that secured in the patented machine referred to by making some of the brackets longer than others and pivoting all of the levers at the lower ends of the brackets.-

In order to enable the key-levers F at the sides of the keyboard to exert a straight pull on the type-bars, they and their brackets H are arranged obliquely, as shown, at the right side of the keyboard in Fig. 5, and this arrangement, owing to the greater width of the keyboard than the type-bar segment, is all that is required to prevent interference of the levers with each other and with the brackets. Some of the levers at the central part of the keyboard have their rear ends offset, as shown in Fig. l, to clear the brackets in their rear, and someof the central connecting-rods G have their front ends bent or offset upwardly to pass over the actuating rockshafts for the universal bar, as shown in Fig. 2. While the described arran ement of keys in straight rows lon itudina l; and trans versely is preferred, t ey coul be arranged in the more' common diagonal rows, and in that case the central levers would not have to be offset;

The key-levers are so shaped and arranged that all of their front arms set at the same angle to the horizontal, thus insuring the same movement or dip of the finger-keys; but. the levers are made in several different shapesthat is, the angularity of the arms is not the same in all of the levers, but such that the pivot joining each lever to its connecting-rod will lie exactly in a straight line connecting the central pivot or fulcrum of the lever and the pivotal joint of the typebar with the connecting-rod when the typebar is in its normal rest position. This is 1m portant-and produces several desirable results: First, a rigid brace is formed that effectually revents the type-bar from rebounding and overcomes the principal cause of collislons between the type-bar when operated at high speed; second, the type-bar is started very slowly and its motion is constantly accelerated until the type-bars strikes the platen; third, the operators fin ers are greatly relieved from shock upon first contact with the keys and the action is much less tiresome than if the maximum force were required for the initial movement of the keys. The second and third of these desirable results can be had by arran ing the three pivots nearly 'in line; but the first can only be had in perfection by the exact alinement of the t ree pivots. If the central pivot, that one joining the lever and connecting-rod, be arranged to lie slightly below the line of the other two, very nearly the same result is obtained; but in that case the key has to travel some distance before the type-bar is started, and it is desirable that the key move no farther than is necessary, and, moreover, if the said central ivot can move over the line to any perceptibib extent it permits the type-bar to rebound somewhat at the time it passes the line. The back-stop I arrests the parts when the three pivot-joints are in exact line. The position of the stops 1 can be easily changed by bending the stops, and if the latter when the parts are assembled do not occupy a relation to properly arrest the levers as described the stops are adjusted by bending. The levers could be arrested when the three joints were alined by other means.' For instance, a knuckle-joint between the lever and connecting-rod could be used with more or less advantage; but the stop on the bracket is preferable, as it enables a lighter construction of the moving parts and can be adjusted as found necessary.

The arallel links or the link and front arm of the key-lever are arranged to sup ort the key-stem in front of that part of the ame to which the link and lever are ivoted, and the rear arm of the key-lever in a 1 cases, whether over or under the link, swings u wardly and forwardly. This is im ortant w en the keylever is connected to t e type-bar of a frontstrike machine by a rod extending in substantially a direct line from the bar to the key-lever pivot, as it causes both ends .of the rod to swing upwardly and forwardl and producesa better acceleration of motion in the bar. This is especially the case when the type-bars are pivoted in a higher plane than the key-lever pivots, as they preferably are in this type of machine.

The construction shown in Fig. 11 is similar to that described, except that the retracting-spring k for the key connects the ke'y-.

lever F and link f in such manner as to be strained when the key is de ressed.

It is desirable that there e no lost motion or looseness in any of the three joints by which the key-levers are connected to the type-bar and brackets, and for this reason the usual universal joints or other connections used to connect two movable arts workin on ivots that are not parallel is not desirab e. he pivotsthat connect the le vers to the brackets are substantially parallel with the pivots of the type-bars 1n the center of the segment; but at the outer ends of the segment the lines diverge consider ably, and this is provided for by twisting the connecting-rods so that the ends face the ends of the levers and type-bars, as shown in Fig. 10, and providing an improved joint (shown in Fig. 9) which allows the necessary slight change in position .during the movement of the parts. In this oint the ends of the connectlng-rod (which is preferably formed of a folded stri of metal) are spread open wider than the t ickness of the type-bar or lever.

and are connected to the bar and levers by shouldered hardened rivets g, which pass through holes g in the lever and type-bar and hold the ends of the rod from being closed, so as to allow a slight twisting movement of the parts. The hole for the rivet is countersunk from both sides, leaving its central part to fit the rivet, which permits the slight twisting movement required without perceptible looseness, and as the perforated ends of the type-bars and levers are hardened the joint gives long service Without serious wear or friction.

The type-bars are preferably pivoted to bearing-hangers d, which are separately secured to and adjustable on the segment, such as described in my application for United States Letters Patent, filed October 31, 1904, Seiial No. 230,655, and the type-bar, connectingrod, key-lever, bracket, retracting-spring, and key-stem are all permanently connected before assembling in the machine. As there is no adjustable connection in these parts, they cannot work loose, and the weight of the parts as a whole is very little compared with their strength and durability, and there is the minimum inertia-to overcome, making great'speed possible.

Separate adjustable key-brackets of the kind described are preferably employed, and the finger-keys are preferably mounted in the brackets, as described; but, as will be apparent, the pivot-joints for the key-lever, connecting-rod, and type-bar can be arranged to aline in the rest position of the type-bar and produce the described results irrespective of the particular construction of the key-bracket or manner of mounting the key. Thus similar results can be effected in the construction disclosed in my said atent, No. 758,982, in which the keys are sli ably mounted byproperly arranging the angularity of the bel -crank levers and providing back-stops.

The universal bar instead of being actuated directly by all of the finger-keys is operated by separate independent actuating parts or rock-shafts, of which there is one for each bank or transverse row of the fingerkeys.

L represents the universal bar, which is arranged at the central portion of the machine, extending from front to rear and preferably inclining upwardly toward the rear. The bar shown consists of two stzips of sheet metalarranged side by side with their front ends spread apart and pivoted on a rod Z, connecting two swinging links Z' ivoted to suitable brackets on the front of t e frame, while the rear end of the rod is pivoted to a rock arm P, that trips the carriage-escapement (not shown) by a rearward thrust of the bar.

from twisting. The-bar is'pulled forwardly and returned afteractuation by a coil-spring 1*, connecting. the supporting-rod for its front end to the front of the frame.

The actuating rook-shafts M for'the universal bar (see Fig. 2) are arranged transversely under the keyboard, one directly'.be-

neath the fulcra of each transverse row of key-levers, and are journaled at their ends in suitable bearings m at the sides of the frame. Each rock-shaft has a depending central arm m which bears against one of the rivets Z of the universal bar, and a number of arms m equal in number to the finger-keys in one bank, which project forwardly and upwardly parallel with the front arms of the key-levers and bear at their reduced ends against the lower ends of the stems of the finger-keys in The ro'ck-' the bank' above the rock-shaft. shafts are provided with suitable s rings-m Fig. 5, which return them to and old them in the normal position shown in Fig. 2. When a finger-key is depressed, it rocks the rockshaft M beneath it and thrusts the universal bar rearwardly, as indicated in Fig. 6, to trip the carriage-escapement. I

The rock-shafts M are arranged directly beneath the fulcra of the key-levers, and their arms m are parallel with the front arms of the key-levers and of the same length. Consequently the arms m and front arms of the key-levers act as parallel links, and there is no sliding movement of the reduced ends of the arms m on the lower ends of the keystems. There is simply a pivotal movement of the arms m on the key-stems, and the friction between the parts is negligible, rendering the movement of the keys very easy. The universal bar is direct in its action and with one of the actuating rock-shafts is of less weight and easier to operate than the usual one-part universal bar common to all of the finger-keys. The arms m m of each rockshaft are preferably formed by integral projecting portions of a stri of sheet metal 117.

which is stamped into orm and surrounds and is secured to a straight rod or wire.

The rock-shafts M are provided with interlocking parts (shown in Fi s. 4 and 5) to pre; vent two adjacent shafts om being rocked together, While allowing the independent movement ofeach shaft. The means shown for this purpose consist of arms 1:. n on the shafts, preferably at one end thereof, each The rear portion of having an edge-curved concentrically with its shaft. The. arms are so related, as shown in Fig. 4, that either shaft can be rocked when the adjacent shaft is in its-normal position, while the arms of adjacent shaftswill interlock and stop the shafts if two adjacent and fulcrumed to a fixed part ofethe-maehine 4 in rear of the -key-stem,:azpivoted-type-bar, and a rod connecting-the-type-bar and said lever, said rod bein pivoted to-said lever at a point normally ying *substantiallyron a straight line joining the fulcrum of said lever and the pivot connecting .said rod to said type-bar, andsaid rod swinging forwardly and upwardly throughout its length when the key-stem is depressed, substantiallyas set forth.

2. The combination in a type-writingmachine having type-bars arranged toswing up-' wardly and'rearwardly, of a: series of\verti.- cally-movable key-stems, a .pair of linksv pivotally connected'to each keyestemiat different elevations and tea fixe part of the machine in'rear of the key-stem, and :a rearv wardly-extending arm on one of said links operatively connected to .a type-bar, each key-stem being supported by a separate pair of links and connected to a separate typebar, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination in a type-writing machine having a type-bar arranged to swingupwardly and rearwardly, of a verticallymovable key-stem, a pair ofparallel links arranged one over the other and pivoted to the key-stem and fulcrumed to a fixed part of the frame inrear of the key-stem, a rearwardlyextending arm on one of said links, and a rod pivotally connected to the .type-barand to said arm, said rod and the pivots connectin it with said arm and with the t pe-bar an the fulcrum for said link normal y lying substantially in the same straight line, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination'in a type-Writing machine, of a type-bar lpivoted toswing upwardly and rearward an upright fingerkey, a pair of pivoted links .arranged at different elevations and pivoted toand supporting the finger-key in upright position, and a one-part connection between'one of said links and the type-bar, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination in a typewriting machine, of a pivoted type bar arranged to swing upwardly and rearwardly, an upright loo finger-key, a pair of pivoted supporting-links for the finger-key arranged at different elevations and pivoted to the finger-key, a spring for elevating the finger-key, and a one-part connection between one of said links and the type-bar, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination in a type-writing machine, of a pivoted type-bar, an upright finer-key, a pair of pivoted supporting-links or the finger-key arranged at different elevations and pivoted to the finger-key, and a rod connecting one of said links with said typebar and extending substantially in the direction of a straight line connecting the pivot for said link with the pivot joining said rod to the type-bar, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination in afront-strike typewritin machine, of a pivoted type-bar arrange to swing upwardly and rearwardly, a vertically movable key-stem, a lever centrally pivoted to the frame with one arm pivoted to the key-stem, and a connecting-rod extending in a substantially direct line from the type-bar to the frame-pivot of said lever and pivotally connected to the other arm of said lever on such line, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination in a type-writing machine, having a series of type-bars pivoted on an upright segment, and a keyboard in front thereof, of a series of vertically-movable keystems each supported by two pivoted links, the upper links for the key-stems in the side portions of the keyboard having extensions connected to the type-bars near the ends of the segment, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination in a type-writing machine having a series of type-bars pivoted on an upright segment, and a keyboard in front of the type-bars, of a series of vertically-movable key-stems each supported by two pivoted links one above the other, connections between the lower links for the central keystems and the central type-bars, and connections between the upper links for the side keystems and the side type-bars, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination in a type-writing ma chine, having a series of pivoted type-bars, and a series of vertically-movable key-stems, of a pair of pivoted sup orting-links for each type-bar, all of the links being arranged at the same angle, and one link of each pair having an extension connected to a type-bar, the angularity of said extensions varying as required to connect them with the type-bars in direct lines, substantially as set forth.

1 1. The combination in a type-writing machine, of a vertically-movable key-stem having two pivot bearings or seats, an upright support having two corresponding bearings, a pair of interchan eable links of different form connecting the ey-stem to the support,

a type-bar, and operative connections between the key-stem and type-bar, substani chine, of a vertically-movable key-stem, a v

pair of parallel links pivotally supporting the key-stem, a detachable bracket pivotally supporting theparallel links, a type-bar, and operative connections between the key-stem and type-bar, substantially as set forth.

13. The combination in a type-writing machine, of a vertically-movable key-stem, a pair of parallel links pivotally supporting the key-stem, an adjustable bracket pivotally supporting the parallel links, a type-bar, and operative connections between the key-stem and type-bar, substantially as set forth.

14. The combination with a type-writingmachine frame, of a vertically-movable keystem, a connecting-bracket formed of a single piece of sheet metal and having an integral back-stop for the key-stem, a pair of supporting-arms pivoted to both the key-stem and the bracket, a type-bar, and operative connections between the key-stem and typebar, substantially as set forth.

15. The combination of a type-writing-machine frame having a slotted'keyboard-base, a series of pendent key-supporting brackets arranged in each slot and independently adjustable therein, the brackets in each slot having-parts which cooperate to cover said slot, ger-keys, typebars, and operative connections between the finger-keys and typebars, substantially as set forth.

' 16. The combination with a type-writin machine frame, havinga slotted keyboar base, of a series of key-supporting brackets arranged in said slots and having overla ping parts that cover the slots in the base, gerkeys, type-bars, and operative connections between the fin er-keys and type-bars, substantially as set orth.

17. The combination with a type-writin machine frame, having aslotted keyboar base, of a series of key-supporting brackets,

and a key-stem, lever, connecting-rod, typebar, and type-bar hanger permanently connected with each bracket and adapted to be removed with said bracket through the slot of the base, substantially as set forth.

18. The combination in a type-writing mastems, and means for transmitting the movement of each rock-shaft to the carriage-escapement, substantially as set forth.

20. a The combination in a type-writing machine, of reciprocating key-stems arranged in banks or rows, supporting-links pivoted to the key-stems and to fixed parts of the ma;- chine, a rock-shaft for each bank of keystems supported directly under the pivots by which the links are secured to the frame,

" arms projecting from the roek-shaft substantially parallel with the supporting-links and pivotally en aging the key-stems and adaptkeys of one row, and a universal bar arranged to move either rock-shaft of the series independently stantially as set forth.

L22. -The cornbination in a type-writinggna chine having a series of reciprocating key:

stems, and typeebars operativ'ely connected with said key-stems, of a rock-shaft forv the purpose stated having arms'with reduced ends of the otherrock-s haftjs,

bearing againstlthe lower ends vof the key-- stems, substantially as set forth.

23. The combination in a type writing machine having an upright segment for the type-bars, and a keyboard arranged in front 24. The combination in atype-Writing ma- I chine having a series of type-bars and two or more rows or banks of operating fin er-keys forsaid type bars, of a rock-shaft or each row of keys; and interlocking means to prevent the actu ationgof two adjacent shafts at the same time; substantially as set forth.

25. The eombination in a type-writing machine having'a series of type-bars and two or more rows or banks of operating r keys for said type-bars, of two or more roc --shafts each arranged to rock independently. of the others upon the actuation of ,akey in one row, and means to eausethe rock-shafts to interfere in case keys i1 f any two adjoining rows are actuated at the same time. i

Witness my hand this-14th day of January,

"EWI a LATT Witnesses:

C. W. PAnKER, EDWARD C. Ham). 

